Now separated by just two points in the Serie A standings, former leaders Torino will tackle promoted Como on Friday evening.
While Toro have slipped from the summit due to consecutive 3-2 losses, their visitors have been inching up the table after enduring a rocky start.
Match preview
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Over the past few weeks, Torino have gone from surprise Serie A pace-setters to mid-table mediocrity, having followed back-to-back defeats against Lazio and Inter Milan with another loss after the international break.
After fighting back from behind to lead in Cagliari last week - thanks to goals from Antonio Sanabria and Karol Linetty - Toro let their advantage slip during the last 20 minutes and found themselves trailing 3-2 for a third straight game.
Though Che Adams came close to equalising when seeing a close-range header saved, the Turin club were ultimately beaten again - they have now lost three league games on the spin for the first time since October 2022.
That followed the Granata's second-round exit from the Coppa Italia, despite being handed a home tie against Empoli, so new boss Paolo Vanoli is under pressure to turn things around sooner rather than later.
Having also conceded three goals in three consecutive games for the first time in four years, Vanoli will be intent on stemming that flow this weekend, as his team take on promoted opponents.
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Just as their hosts have suffered an alarming dip in form, Como have begun to show signs they can adapt to life in Italy's top tier, following promotion as Serie B runners-up last season.
Before losing their final game ahead of the international break, against early leaders Napoli, the Lariani had gone on a three-match unbeaten run that featured their first Serie A win for 21 years.
Head coach Cesc Fabregas has apparently settled on his favoured forward line, dropping ex-Torino hero Andrea Belotti and preferring a productive combination between Patrick Cutrone and new Argentina international Nico Paz.
The latter, a highly-rated Real Madrid youth product, scored his first Serie A goal last weekend, earning Como a point after Parma had taken the lead at Stadio Sinigaglia.
That moved the Lombardy club onto nine points, just two shy of Friday's hosts; so they can leapfrog Toro by winning at Stadio Olimpico Grande, where they lost 1-0 on their last league visit, some 20 years ago.
Team News
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Heading into a game that precedes a tough run of fixtures culminating in the Turin derby, Paolo Vanoli will again be without Ivan Ilic and Borna Sosa, while Torino captain Duvan Zapata is out for the rest of the season and Perr Schuurs has seen his return from a serious knee injury delayed until 2025.
In better news for the home side, Adrien Tameze and Marcus Pedersen should return following illness, and Chilean centre-back Guillermo Maripan is back in the squad after serving a suspension.
Stand-in skipper Karol Linetty starts in midfield; in Zapata's absence, Che Adams and Antonio Sanabria are set to continue their partnership up front.
Zapata and Adams have scored three Serie A goals apiece this season, while Como's Patrick Cutrone has bagged four so far. The latter generally links up with Nico Paz, Alieu Fadera and Gabriel Strefezza in the final third.
Aside from minor concerns regarding midfield fulcrum Sergi Roberto, who was forced off by a knock last week, and Belgian full-back Ignace Van Der Brempt, Cesc Fabregas can choose from a fully-fit squad.
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Walukiewicz, Coco, Masina; Lazaro, Ricci, Linetty, Vlasic, Vojvoda; Adams, Sanabria
Como possible starting lineup:
Audero; Van Der Brempt, Kempf, Dossena, Moreno; Perrone, Roberto; Strefezza, Paz, Fadera; Cutrone
We say: Torino 1-1 Como
Torino can stop the rot after a run of four straight defeats across all competitions, but an improving Como side may still come away from Turin with one point.
Not only have the visitors steadied the ship in recent weeks, but their attack is also increasingly potent.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
